Second workshop on climate change adaptation in the Transport sector

About

The second workshop on climate change adaptation in the Transport sector was held in Brussels on 6 June 2019.

 

Target audience

The event gathered about 80 participants from 15 member states and several EC services. Majority of the participants were project managers and experts from transport authorities, in particular authorities managing transport networks including representatives from relevant ministries and related stakeholders.

 

Objectives

Following previous Networking Platform activities on the subject of climate change adaptation and building on the results of a first thematic workshop on the transport sector organised in December 2017, this second workshop aims at providing new insights and reflections on good experiences and lessons learned on climate change proofing in transport projects and fostering its integration as part of transport networks management.

The event was structured around knowledge sharing in the following two topic sessions:

• Experience with analysing climate change vulnerabilities and risks for transport projects; and
• Integrating climate change into transport networks management.

The sessions were interactive with an exchange of ideas and group discussions between technical experts.

The seminar was organised in cooperation with DG REGIO and DG CLIMA who addressed the audience at the beginning of the event and contributed actively to the discussion. DG REGIO provided reflections on the experience derived from climate change requirements and guidance for the current financial prospective and DG CLIMA outlined how the topic might be addressed in next financial prospective.

The workshop included best practice experience presentations followed by Q&A sessions with the audience. Group breakout sessions were also held where participants discussed case studies related to ensuring resilience to climate impacts on transport infrastructure and exchanged their own experience and views on integrating climate change adaptation into transport infrastructure.

The outcomes from the workshop discussions show that member states are generally at the beginning of integrating climate change adaptation into transport infrastructure projects (with some countries being more advanced and/or considering it also at the transport network level).

The issues of data availability, design standards (or implementation procedures) and design experience were considered as key for further progress. The need for and difficulties with cooperation among different internal and external stakeholders were also pointed out.

Finally, all participants agreed on the need for further information sharing on this topic and would welcome a dedicated platform for exchange of such knowledge and experience.